The present invention relates to garments having elastic components therein, and more particularly to elastic composites formed within such garments, or formed separately from such garments and secured therein, to provide an elastic component to such garments.
Garments such as conventional clothing items as well as disposable absorbent articles often have elastic composites formed or incorporated therein which permit stretching and provide retractive forces to certain portions of the garment to provide a snug but comfortable fit for the wearer. Elastic composites also allow the garment to fit a greater range of wearer sizes. To form the elastic composite, one or more elastic members, such as strands of elastic material, are typically secured to a substrate, such as a layer of the garment material, while in a stretched condition to thereafter apply a retractive force to the substrate for gathering the substrate. The elastic composite may also be formed by securing one or more elastic members to a substrate separate from the garment, such as in the form of a strip, or ribbon. The elastic composite is then secured to the garment to incorporate the elastic composite therein.
Children's toilet training pants are one example of a garment which may incorporate elastic composites. Training pants, which serve as a disposable training aid as a child transitions from diapers to underpants, are three-dimensional articles similar to underpants in appearance but constructed with a liquid permeable inner layer and an absorbent body to provide the absorbent function of a disposable absorbent article. Elastic members in the form of elastic strands are secured within the toilet training pants at the leg openings and sometimes in other areas of the training pants such as the waist opening and, if present, along containment flaps of the pants. The strands are adhered to a layer, or more typically between two layers, of the training pants, such as along the sides of the training pants adjacent the leg openings. The strands are secured within pants while in a stretched condition (e.g., in tension) so that the retractive force of the strands gathers the pants at the leg openings to provide a snug fit around the wearer's legs.
However, despite the benefits of forming or incorporating elastic composites into garments, there continues to be a need for improvements in the formation of such elastic composites. For example, there continues to be a need for increasing the comfort of such garments against the wearer's skin and for making a more efficient use of elastic members in disposable absorbent articles to thereby decrease the cost of manufacturing such articles.